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. G. W. BOWLBY.

Breech-loading Fire-arm.

Patented May 21, 1867.

No. 64,94L

N. FHERS. PHOTCUTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON D C @Initrb tetra gaunt ffitr.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED BACK-SIGHT .AND O'ARTBlDGE-RETRACTER FOR FIRE-ARMS.

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Be it known that I, G. W. BOWLBY, of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, and in the State of Michigan, have invented new and useful improvements in Guns andPistols; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the annexed drawings making part of this specification, A represents the barrel of the gun, and B the stock, both of which may be made in any of the known and usual ways. The barrel is hinged or pivoted to the stock at z in such a manner that its rear end may be thrown up to receive the cartridge-case or cartridge. A spring, H, lying under the barrel, between it and the stock, serves to throw the barrel up when it is released from its fastenings at its rear end. C repre ents the breech-piece, which is secured to the stock in the usual position and manner. The lowerend of the breech-piece, at rear of and beneath the barrel, is turned up at right angles, as seen, forming a flange, D, and an opening or slot is cut in this flange to receive the end of a small plate, d, which is secured to the rear end of the barrel. The plate d is secured to therear end of the barrel, on the metal beneath the bore, and is provided with a slot, 12, and a hole, 1', through which or into which a pin, 01, passes to secure it down. The slot n passes over the rib e on the breech-piece, for the purpose of steadying the barrel andpreventing any lateral motion at its end next to the breech. The pin a is connected to a trigger, G, and is operated upon by a spring, 0. This pin plays through an opening or hole made to receive it in the breech-piece, and passes, when the rear end of thebarrel is pressed down into the hole 1', in the plate (1, and thus serves to hold the rear end of the barrel down to its place when the piece has been charged. The springc serves to press the pin a outward, while the trigger G serves to draw it back for the purpose of releasing the barrel when desirable. The face of the plate (2 has a channel, which runs to the hole 2', bevelled in order to allow the end of the pin to slide easily to said hole 2'. F represents the sight, which consists of a small metallic plate, slotted, and having its ends turned at right angles, the one up and the other down. The end which is turned up is provided with the usual V-shapeil slot which is used for sights, and the end which turns down fits in a slot cut in the upper side cf the barrel, and serves as a retracter for withdrawing the cartridge-case. This plate or sight F is secured by means of screws which pass through the slots in it to the barrel, and is susceptible of an endwise movement to enable it to act-as a retracter. i

In order to load this piece, the trigger G is first pushed forward, which draws the pin a back, and releases the plate d. The barrel has its rear end thrown up by spring H as soon as plate dis released. The cartridge is placed in the rear end of the barrel, and said end is pressed down until the pin a springs into the hole 2' in plate d. The gun is then ready for firing. After each discharge the rear end of the barrel is thrown up and the sight is drawn back for discharging the empty case. When a new cartridge-case is inserted in the barrel, its rim shoves the sight back to its place again.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The sight F, constructed and used in combination with the barrel A, for the purpose of forming a sight and'retracter at the same time, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th day of February, 1867.

G. W. BOWLBY.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. DEWEY, J. M. Mason. 

